Hazing Victims in Delaware County, Ohio — Legal Rights and Justice

When Tradition Becomes Torture: Delaware County Families Deserve Answers

Delaware County is home to some of the most prestigious educational institutions in Ohio, including Ohio Wesleyan University and nearby Ohio State University. These institutions attract students from across the country who come to Delaware County seeking academic excellence, community, and lifelong friendships. Many of these students join Greek organizations, believing they’ll find brotherhood, sisterhood, and leadership opportunities.

But for some Delaware County students, what begins as a quest for belonging turns into a nightmare of abuse. Hazing isn’t tradition. It isn’t bonding. It’s torture. And when Delaware County families send their children to college, they never expect them to return with broken bones, kidney failure, or psychological trauma.

At Attorney 911, we’re currently fighting this battle in Texas with a $10 million lawsuit against Pi Kappa Phi and the University of Houston. A young man was waterboarded, forced to do 500 squats until his muscles broke down, and hospitalized with kidney failure. The same fraternities and sororities operate at universities near Delaware County. The same negligence exists at Delaware County institutions. And we will fight for Delaware County families with the same aggression we’re bringing to this case.

If your child has been hazed at a Delaware County university or any institution in Ohio, you are not alone. You have legal rights. And we are here to help.

The Hazing Crisis in Delaware County and Beyond

Hazing is not a harmless rite of passage. It’s a dangerous, often illegal practice that has led to serious injuries and deaths across the country — and Delaware County is not immune.

What Hazing Looks Like in Delaware County

Hazing can take many forms, but it always involves abuse disguised as “tradition.” In our current case, a University of Houston student was subjected to:

• Waterboarding with a garden hose — simulated drowning, a form of torture
• Forced to do 500 squats and 100 pushups — until his muscles broke down and his kidneys failed
• Struck with wooden paddles — physical assault with weapons
• Forced to eat until vomiting — then made to keep running through his own vomit
• Sleep deprivation — forced to drive fraternity members during early morning hours
• Psychological humiliation — carrying objects of sexual nature, stripping in cold weather

This isn’t just happening in Texas. The same national fraternities and sororities with chapters near Delaware County have been involved in hazing incidents across the country. Pi Kappa Phi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Delta Theta, and others have all paid millions in settlements for hazing deaths and injuries.

Delaware County families need to know: If your child is pledging a fraternity or sorority at a Delaware County university or any nearby institution, they face the same risks.

Delaware County Universities and the Greek Life Risk

Delaware County is home to Ohio Wesleyan University, a private liberal arts college with a strong Greek life presence. Nearby, Ohio State University in Columbus has one of the largest Greek systems in the country. Both institutions attract students from Delaware County and beyond.

Ohio Wesleyan University has active chapters of national fraternities and sororities, including:

• Fraternities: Delta Tau Delta, Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI), Sigma Chi, Theta Chi
• Sororities: Alpha Delta Pi